The Catalan capital will have five new libraries by 2030, as envisaged in the new Barcelona Library Plan.
The Plan seeks to highlight the importance and responsibility of public libraries as the first cultural facility with open access, proximity and free of charge. City libraries are a fundamental part of the cultural fabric of communities.
And keeping them current, updated and operational is essential to guarantee citizens the right to access information, reading and knowledge.
The five new libraries in Barcelona
This initiative is part of the objective of the Barcelona Library Plan 2030, which seeks to promote creative practices and community participation.
Today, the city has 40 public libraries, which are located in the different neighborhoods and districts of the city. These five new ones will join the group of existing ones, bringing the city’s total to 45.
The libraries are: Sarriá, Prosperitat Ideal Plastica Flor, Biblioteca Pública de l’Estat, La Marina del Prat Vermell and Sant Gervasi Sud. All of them add up to 30,000 square meters of culture.
Features of the five new libraries
Sarriá Library
It will have a surface area of 1,255 square meters and is already under construction. Apparently, it will be the first of the group to open.
2. Prosperitat Ideal Plástica Flor Library
It is one of the largest with a surface area of 2,500 square meters. It will be built on the site of the former Ideal Plástica Flor factory.
3. Marina del Prat Vermell Library
It will have an area of 1,400 square meters, although construction is projected to begin in 2027.
4. Sant Gervasi Sud Library
It will have a surface area of 1,600 square meters. Work will begin between 2021 and 2031.
5. Public Library of the State
It will be of large dimensions: 16,000 square meters, which triples the average surface area of the rest of the libraries in the State.
What about the libraries that already exist?
They will also benefit from the Barcelona 2030 Library Plan, which includes the expansion of existing libraries, such as the Gabriel García Márquez Library.
Best of all, and bringing the whole Plan together, the goal is to have some 100,000 square meters of public libraries in the city in the next few years.
These are some of the relocations and expansions that some libraries will undergo:
- Biblioteca Gòtic – Andreu Nin: expected to move to the Borsí building between 2023-2027.
- Sant Pau – Santa Creu Library: it will be expanded in the same historic site of the former Hospital de la Santa Creu between 2023-2031.
- Sofia Barat Library: moves to a new facility between 2027-2031.
- Poble-sec – Francesc Boix Library: moves to the Press House building or will be expanded between 2023-2027.
- Vapor Vell Library: moves to a new facility between 2027-2031
